James Rosemond’s influence in the music industry spans three decades. In 1992, he co-founded the “How Can I Be Down” music conference which gave insight to artists on how the industry actually works. His management company, Czar Entertainment helped push the careers of high profile acts The Game, Sean Kingston, Salt-n-Pepa, Akon, Brandy and Gucci Mane.
Following Gucci’s recent release fromUnited States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, DX reached out to Rosemond (also known as “Jimmy Henchman”) and asked him to reflect on his first meeting with the Atlanta rapper.
“When Debbie [Antny] and Gucci Mane came to me he was signed to an independent label and was shut out of the industry by his peers who didn’t want him to succeed,” Rosemond shared exclusively with HipHopDX. “I saw in Gucci a lot of the struggles that I was dealing with in the industry. He explained to me what he wanted and what he would do if given a chance. I knew Gucci Mane could rap, he just needed a chance and a bigger platform to show his skills. After getting him signed to [Warner Music] he was given that chance to shine and he never looked back. It’s always a pleasure to plant a seed and watch it grow. We all make mistakes, I hope that Gucci now takes advantage of his new lease on his career and become the star I knew he was when I met him for the first time in Atlanta.”
Rosemond is currently serving multiple life sentences after being found guilty in 2013 of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, and witness tampering as well as murder for hire and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of G-Unit affiliate Lowell “Lodi Mack” Fletcher in 2014.
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Earlier this year he filed a habeas corpus appeal seeking a new trial.
Rosemond’s life and trials are the subject of Don Sikorski’s new documentary, Unjust Justice: The Jimmy Rosemond Tapes. The first two episodes are currently available on Youtube and feature exclusive conversations with Rosemond, as well as those on hand during the 1994 Quad Studios shooting that left Tupac Shakur hospitalized. Rosemond has also been implicated in that event, but has consistently denied involvement.
Watch episode one below:
